Dispensing device container

ABSTRACT

A pressurized dispenser having separate product and propellant containers comprising an inner container for the propellant fitted into the mouth opening of an outer product container. Passages are formed in the region of the mouth to vent from the product container air displaced by the placement of the propellant container within the product container. These vent passages are closed when the containers are completely assembled.

United States Patent 1111 3,563,419

[72] Inventors Robert A. Coerver, Jr. [56] References Cited New YorkUNITED STATES PATENTS PM Km 3,388,838 6/1968 Marchant 222/193 APPL608,655 3 131 834 5/1964 Meshb erg 222/399 [22] Med Jan. 11,1967 3 240383 M1966 S choltz 220/44 [45] Patented 1971 3 262 602 7/1966 McConnellet al 220/44 [731 Assignees Precision Valve Corporation Yonkers, NY.Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves a corporation of Delaware, andAssistant Examiner-H. S. Lane l mcoContainer Company Attorney-Davis,l-loxie, F aithfull and Hapgood Kansas City, Mo. a corporation of NewYork U ABSTRACT: A pressurized dispenser having separate product [541 EE? CONTAINER and propellant containers comprising an inner container forthe propellant fitted into the mouth opening of an outer [52] US. Cl222/193, product container. Passages are formed in the region of the239/308 mouth to vent from the product container air displaced by the[51] Int. Cl 867d 5/54 placement of the propellant container within theproduct con- [50] Field of Search 222/193; tainer. These vent passagesare closed when the containers are 222/399, 136; 239/306; 239/307, 308;220/44 completely assembled.

39 24 33 36 5 45 7: il 11m 3 II/H I, 13 1/111; 301/ DISPENSING DEVICECONTAINER The present invention relates to the junction between theproduct container and the propellant container of an aerosol dispenserof the isolation type in which, in its best form, a pressurized, gaseousor gasifiable liquid propellant is held in a vessel that is mountedwithin but is otherwise separate from the container for the fluentproduct to be dispensed, and in which the propellant and the product areisolated from one another until mixed at or near the discharge port, inthe course of discharge.

In such dispensers, a valve located in the head structure normallyprevents outflow of the pressurized propellant but, on being opened,permits flow of propellant in gaseous (vapor) form to the dischargeport. By the action of an ejector (sometimes called a venturi) near thedischarge port, to which separate flow lines from the product containerand the propellant are respectively connected, the outflow of thepropellant when the valve is opened reduces the pressure in the productflow line and a simultaneous outflow of the product is brought about. Bysuitably directing the, stream of propellant with respect to the streamof fluent product, atomization of the product commonly is effected and astray discharge is produced. Such a device is described in some detailin the copending US. Pat. application Ser. No. 521,885, filed Jan. 20,1966 now US. Pat. No. 3,326,469. Therein is described a dispenser unitcomprising a propellant chamber, a valve unit having separate productand propellant passages, and a valve operating button having an ejectorand discharge orifice for effecting a spray of product. This unit isfitted within an outer product container. A product flow line extendsfrom the discharge orifice in the button through the propellant chamberand terminates in a product eduction tube which extends below thepropellant chamber for immersion in the product. After assembly andpropellant charging of the cartridge, it is slipped into an appropriatemouthopening in the product-filled outer container. The mouth opening isdesigned to accept and to secure the cartridge in a nested positionthereby closing the mouth of the product container to provide a unitizedpackage for dispensing the contained product.

Isolation of the product from the propellant avoids problems ofincompatibility of product and propellant and permits aerosol dispensingof product previously considered impractical. Furthermore, the separateproduct container of the present invention may be manufactured inunlimited shapes from nonrigid materials such as plastics, since theproduct container is not pressurized.

Since the product within the outer container is fluent, a close fittingseal must be provided between the product container mouth opening andthe exterior surface of the cartridge to prevent product leakage. Theinsertion of the cartridge into the product container displaces air orgas within the product container by virtue of the piston effect of thedescending propellant cartridge. The necessarily close fit between thecartridge and the container mouth aperture prevents the escape of thisdisplaced air and results in a pressure rise within the productcontainer. This pressure rise may distort a flexible product containeror may force the product to ascend the open product flow line and causethe product to leak from the discharge orifice of the valve actuatingdispenser button.

Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide ameans for venting displaced air from the product container of apressurized dispenser of the isolation type.

More particularly, it is an objective of the present invention toprovide the cartridge receiving aperture of the product container of anisolation type of pressurized dispenser with vent passages which allowthe escape of air as the cartridge is inserted, which passages aresealed when the cartridge is finally seated.

ln the drawing:

The single FIGURE is a vertical cross-sectional view of the dispensingdevice of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawing, the FIGURE shows an assembled dispenserwith a propellant cartridge secured in the mouth of an outer productcontainer ill). The propellant cartridge includes a propellant chamber20 which is supplied with a pressurized preferably gasifiable liquidpropellant 25 which usually is a fluorinatedchlorinated hydrocarbon ofthe type sold under the names Genetron and Freon. The propellant chamber20 is closed by a conventional valve mounting cup 26 which is secured bycrimping to the chamber 20 by a conventional rolled seam 24. A valvemounting pedestal 27 is formed in the central portion of the valvemounting cup 26. A propellant valve assembly 30 is secured to the valvemounting pedestal 27 by conventional crimping techniques. The propellantvalve assembly 30 comprises a valve housing 35 with an inner valve body37 which is biased upwardly by virtue of the elasticity of a plastictube 29 which serves as a portion of the product flow line. A resilientannular valve member 33 surrounds the valve stem 31 which is integralwith the valve body 37. The resilient member 33 closes a valve orifice36 which communicates a passage 33 in the interior of the valve stem 31with the propellant vapor phase in the interior of the propellantchamber 20. A valve actuating dispenser button 40 is secured to theupper end of valve stem .31 with a passage 44 in communication with thepropellant passage 33 of the valve stem. Parallel to the propellantpassage 38 of the valve stem 31 is a product passage 39 which extendsthrough the valve body 37 to communicate with a product flow line 29.The product flow line 29 passes through the propellant chamber 20 andexits through a seal 23 in the bottom of the chamber 20. A flexible diptube 9 is affixed to the chamber 20 in communication with the productflow line 29. The upper end of the product passage 39 communicates witha passage 43 in the valve actuating dispenser button. An ejector passage41 within the button communicates with both the propellant passage 44and the product passage 43 and extends to a discharge orifice 42 on theexterior of the button.

ln operation, manual downward force on the valve actuating button 40causes depression of the valve body 37 against the spring effect of thecube 29. Such motion causes the resilient sealing member 33 of thevalve: to peel back to expose the propellant orifice 36 to thepropellant pressure available in the propellant chamber 20. Propellantvapor then rushes through the orifice 36 and up the propellant passage38 of the valve stem 31 to the propellant passage 44 of the actuatorbutton. The propellant vapor thus released traverses the ejector passage41 of the button to exit from the discharge orifice 42 with anappropriate velocity. The velocity of the moving stream of propellantgas across the terminal end of the product passage 43 of the button d0causes a reduction in pressure throughout the product flow line whichcauses product 7 to be sucked through the product flow line 29 from theproduct container 10. The product thus educted from the container isdispensed from the discharge orifice 42 as a spray. At the conclusion ofa spray cycle, the pressure within the product container 10 is restoredto that of the atmosphere by virtue of the unrestricted communication ofthe product flow line 29 with the atmosphere through the ejector passage41.

In the embodimentillustrated in the FlGURE, the mouth 8 of the productcontainer 10 is provided with an annular shoulder 11 which is adapted toreceive a rolled bead 21 formed in the wall of the propellant cartridge20. When the cartridge 20 is inserted in the mouth 8, shoulder 11 andhead 21 cooperate to support the cartridge within the mouth. Adequatefrictional retention and lateral support of the propellant cartridge 20in product container is assured by an interference wall 13 in thecontainer mouth which is sized to be an interference fit with thecylindrical wall 22 of the propellant cartridge. in order to ventdisplaced air, venting channels formed by grooves 12 are provided on theinterior surface of the mouth of the product container 10. These groovesextend from the interior of the: product container 10 to a point abovethe annular shoulder 11. A second annular shoulder 15 is provided nearthe entrance of the mouth to receive the edge of the rolled seam 24 ofthe mounting cup 26. This second shoulder further supports the cartridge20.

As the propellant cartridge is inserted into the mouth of the productcontainer, a quantity of air equal to the included volume of thepropellant cartridge is necessarily displaced. To prevent a buildup ofpressure within the product container, grooves 12 serve to vent thedisplaced air through the interference wall 13 and through the clearancebetween product container wall 45 and cylindrical wall 22 and to theatmosphere. When the propellant cartridge is lowered to a position nearits final seat with bead 21 in contact with shoulder 11, and engaging inan interference fit with wall 45, the bead 21 serves to block thepassages provided by grooves 12. Thus, the last fraction of an inch oftravel of head 21 past wall 45 occurs with the grooves 12 sealed fromthe atmosphere. No significant pressure buildup is experienced since thedistance of travel under sealed conditions is so small. By providingbead 21 at a position near the upper extremity of the propellant chamberwall, nearly all of the displaced air is vented through grooves 12before sealing is effected. When the cartridge is seated, head 21 ispositioned so as to seal grooves 12 to prevent product leakage.Additionally, the edge of rolled seam 24 is seated on the second annularshoulder 15 to provide a further seal against leakage.

It will be apparent that many modifications and variations may be madewithin the scope and spirit of our invention and, accordingly we do notwish to be limited otherwise than as indicated by the terms of theappended claims.

We claim:

1. In a pressurized dispenser comprising the combination of an innerpressurized propellant container and an outer plastic product containerhaving a mouth aperture adapted to receive and retain the innercontainer by means of a region of interference fit of substantial axiallength, said inner container hav ing for a considerable axial lengthsubstantially the same peripheral dimension as the outer container mouthaperture, the improvement which comprises having at least one channelestablishing a venting passage extending from the interior of the outercontainer past the region of interference fit, said channel comprising agroove generally parallel to the inner container axis and being formedin one of the contacting surfaces in the region of interference fit.

2. The improvement of claim 1, and wherein the inner container has anexternal circumferential bead of slightly larger diameter than thecontacting surface of the mouth of the outer container, such that whenthe inner container is fully inserted the bead acts to sealingly blockthe exit of said channel in the contacting surfaces.

3. An aerosol spray dispensercomprising:

a. A pressurized aerosol cartridge including a hollow body containing amedium under pressure and an enlarged top on the body, a tube throughsaid hollow body for passing a commodity from a receptacle in which saidcartridge is mounted, and a valve for releasing said medium from thebody over an upper end of said tube to draw the commodity therewith fromthe receptacle through the tube;

b. A hollow receptacle for receiving the commodity to be dispensed bysaid cartridge, said receptacle including an open top, a sealed bottomand flexible sidewalls;

c. A neck extending from said sidewalls around said open top of thereceptacle for receiving said cartridge as it is introduced into thereceptacle, said neck including a topmost portion for loosely receivingthe lower end and central portions of said hollow body and for tightlyreceiving and holding said enlarged top portion as said cartridge isinserted downwardly into said receptacle, and a lower portion adjacentsaid topmost portion for tightly receiving, guiding, and supporting saidhollow body in said receptacle; and

d. An air passageway in said lower neck portion for passing air from thereceptacle to atmosphere as said cartridge is introduced into saidreceptacle to thereby prevent the buildup of undesired pressures insaidreceptacle, and forclosing whensaid cartridge is seated in saidreceptacle.

P041150 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,563,419 Dated February 16 197].

Inventor-( Robert A. Coerver, Jr. and Paul A. Merchant It is certifiedthat error appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Under "Assignees": Precision Valve Corporation Yonkers, N.Y. "acorporation of Delaware" should be: --a corporation of New York--; and

Imco Container Company Kansas City, Mo. "a corporation of New York"should be: -a corporation of Delaware--.

Column 1, line 23, "stray" should be --spray--.

Column 2, line 38, "cube" should be --tube--.

Signed and sealed this 7th day of September 1971 (SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLET(?HER, JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attestlng Offlcel" ActingCommissioner of Pate

1. In a pressurized dispenser comprising the combination of an innerpressurized propellant container and an outer plastic product containerhaving a mouth aperture adapted to receive and retain the innercontainer by means of a region of interference fit of substantial axiallength, said inner container having for a considerable axial lengthsubstantially the same peripheral dimension as the outer container mouthaperture, the improvement which comprises having at least one channelestablishing a venting passage extending from the interior of the outercontainer past the region of interference fit, said channel comprising agroove generally parallel to the inner container axis and being formedin one of the contacting surfaces in the region of interference fit. 2.The improvement of claim 1, and wherein the inner container has anexternal circumferential bead of slightly larger diameter than thecontacting surface of the mouth of the outer container, such that whenthe inner container is fully inserted the bead acts to sealingly blockthe exit of said channel in the contacting surfaces.
 3. An aerosol spraydispenser comprising: a. A pressurized aerosol cartridge including ahollow body containing a medium under pressure and an enlarged top onthe body, a tube through said hollow body for passing a commodity from areceptacle in which said cartridge is mounted, and a valve for releasingsaid medium from the body over an upper end of said tube to draw thecommodity therewith from the receptacle through the tube; b. A hollowreceptacle for receiving the commodity to be dispensed by saidcartridge, said receptacle including an open top, a sealed bottom andflexible sidewalls; c. A neck extending from said sidewalls around saidopen top of the receptacle for receiving said cartridge as it isintroduced into the receptacle, said neck including a topmost portionfor loosely receiving the lower end and central portions of said hollowbody and for tightly receiving and holding said enlarged top portion assaid cartridge is inserted downwardly into said receptacle, and a lowerportion adjacent said topmost portion for tightly receiving, guiding,and supporting said hollow body in said receptacle; and d. An airpassageway in said lower neck portion for passing air from thereceptacle to atmosphere as said cartridge is introduced into saidreceptacle to thereby prevent the buildup of undesired pressures in saidreceptacle, and for closing when said cartridge is seated in saidreceptacle.